Foundation of Business Communication: Coca-Cola Sustainability Report

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Coca-Cola's business communication strategies, focusing on its sustainable approaches and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The report explores how Coca-Cola implements sustainability at micro, SME, and corporate levels, detailing strategies such as reducing risk and minimizing costs for micro businesses, grabbing opportunities and developing trust with employees for SMEs, and promoting health and wellness and reducing environmental impact for corporate entities. It further examines the various strategies employed by Coca-Cola to operate in an ethical and sustainable way, including employee engagement, water stewardship, awareness campaigns, and innovation. The report also delves into how Coca-Cola engages with stakeholders through consistency, transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability, and how it implements CSR activities to enhance employee loyalty and build a positive brand image. The content is a report on Coca-Cola's business communication and sustainability efforts.

Foundation of Business
Communication

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................1
TASK...............................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Business communication refers to the process of transferring views, thoughts and
information with internal as well as external people such as customers, suppliers, stakeholders,
investors etc. of an organisation. Business communication can be also used for increasing
sustainability of the company (Goetsch and Davis, 2014). This assignment is based on Coca
Cola which is a soft drink manufacturing company. This company was initiated by John
Pemberton in late 19th century. Coca Coal offers variety of flavours in soft drinks such as
Caffeine free, Diet Coke, zero Sugar, Cherry, Vanilla, lemon and coffee. This report is going to
discuss about different types of sustainable approaches which are used by every level of
organisations that micro, SME and corporate. Further variety of strategies which are used by
Coca Cola to sustain longer at marketplace will be elaborated.
TASK
1. Different sustainable approaches of Micro, SME and Corporate Businesses
Sustainable approach refers to the strategies which are formulated by management of
organisation for increasing durability of business. This approach emphasize on investing time
and money on employees as they will provide better return in future. It has been analysed that
organisations who shares positive relationship with employees are more sustainable
(Sustainability approach, 2018). Along with this, economic crisis also does not affect these
organisations as its employees are in favour of company and cooperate in low phase.
Sustainable approaches in businesses: Sustainable approaches are used by
business organisation for running their firm for longer duration. These approaches are not only
used by large companies but they are also helpful for micro level businesses as well as SME's.
There are various types of sustainability approach which are used by every organisation in
different manner. Some of them are described below on the basis of their business level.
Micro businesses: It refers to business which is operated at low level. Micro business
involve maximum 5 employees who works together for fulfilling their basic necessity of life.
Owner of micro business uses various sustainability approaches which are evaluated as below:
 Reducing risk: At micro level, business operator tries to avoid risk as much as possible
for them. They uses simple but effective method to operate business which includes
negligible risk and provides them nominal benefit for survival. It also helps them to
survive longer at marketplace.
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 Minimising cost: This sustainable approach emphasize on reducing operational cost at
work place. It includes minimising waste production as it directly reduces the operational
cost of production.
SME businesses: Small and medium enterprises are independent firms which operate
their business at small level. In these firms, number of employees are less than 250 who works
hard to increase their business turnover for increasing their annual turnover every year (Benn
and et. al, 2014). For example: Quantum Technology Marketing is a telemarketing company
which is using various types of sustainable approach for increasing its turnover and increasing
profitability. These approaches are evaluated as below: Grabbing opportunities: Employees of Quantum Technology Marketing are majorly
focusing on identifying opportunities which are available at marketplace. Further, these
opportunities are used by firm for expanding their business with maximum benefit. This
will help the company in developing their sustainability level in UK market.
 Developing trust with employees: In this approach, management of Quantum
Technology Marketing emphasize on building positive relationship with employees. As
they are considered as the human capital of company who will contribute in increasing
sustainability of company. For this, manager of Quantum Technology Marketing
develops appropriate environment at workplace which gives respect to every individual,
maintains transparency about policies and also increases team spirit among all
employee.
Corporate businesses: Corporate business refers to the separate legal entity which is
distinct from its owner. These businesses owns right as individuals such as taking loan, hiring
employees, payment of taxes, entering into contract etc. For example: Corporate business like
Coca Cola uses various sustainable approaches which are evaluated as below: Promotion of Health and Wellness: This approach emphasize on promoting wellness
and health by maintaining transparency about products ingredient so that they can
achieve trust of customers (Union, 2014). Along with this, marketing team of this
company is not using children's under 12 years which reflects they do not support child
labour. This approach have contributed equally in improving sustainability of Coca Cola
and also increased its number of customers.
 Reducing environmental affect: Coca Cola is improving its packaging section by
recycling old supplied bottles and can. It is implemented by collecting maximum previous
bottles and further recycle them to produce new one. In addition to this, Coca Cola also
emphasize on protecting water resources by reducing use of water in producing soft
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drink. Along with this, waste water is disposed in water bodies to support aquatic life like
plants, fish, insects etc. This minimises environmental impact produced by the
operations of Coca Cola. As a result it also develops brand name of this company at
market place and increases its sustainability level.
2. Different types of strategies that businesses use to operate in an ethical and sustainable way
Many businesses believes that monetary benefit is not sufficient for organisational
growth as they are part of environment only so it is required by them to contribute towards
environment too. This will help organisations to sustain longer at market place. Sustainability
can be used as business strategy for sharing social responsibility which will make world a better
place to live in. There are many organisation who are participating in social welfare without
thinking about financial gain (Weber and et. al, 2016). As a result, these companies not only
sustain longer but also take advantage of improving their brand image among customer. It
directly increases customers satisfaction level. There are varies types of strategies opted by
Coca Cola which reflects that this company is more conscious about environment too. These
strategies are evaluated as below:
Employee engagement: It is considered as the approach which emphasize on
providing appropriate working environment to all employee. It helps them to perform all business
in effective manner in order to achieve targeted goals and objectives. Employee engagement
also helps business organisation to sustain longer as their staff is happily working with them.
For Example: Coca Cola is using employee engagement for improving working capacity of
manpower. This company provides rewards and benefit packages to employees on the basis of
their performance. Along with this, they also offers development programs to high performer
employees for improving their skills and increase opportunity for them in future as well.
Water Stewardship: Water is a most essential resource on earth. It is required by
organisation to use water in effective manner so that it wont be wasted and also preserves it for
others. In context to Coca Cola, this company believes that availability of fresh water is sufficient
for satisfying requirement of all but only if it is managed properly (Environment overview, 2018).
For Example: Coca Cola is using waste water as well as storm water in their own plants which
are cultivated for manufacturing it drinks. They also work with various NGO and community
which are working for finding out long term solution for preserving water. This contributes in
preserving fresh water as it utilized in appropriate manner.
Awareness: Awareness refers to spreading information and knowledge about particular
product with people. Business organisation uses awareness as a strategy for increasing
recognition of their product and services among customers. It also helps the company in
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communicating with their potential so that they create positive image of product at market place
which directly increase its sustainability. In relation with Coca Cola, this company have used
awareness campaign to aware its customers that their product does not contain alcohol. This
campaign was started to remove previous negative image of drinks which have declined its
sales and also created question mark about quality of its soft drinks (Gretzel and et. al., 2015).
After awareness campaign, customers of Coca Cola were having complete knowledge about
ingredients used in manufacturing process. As a result, Coca Cola have gained new brand
image among its customer and also contributed in increasing sustainability of this company.
Innovation: Innovation refers to new idea which is used to modify existing product and
service according to requirements. It is also considered as the strategy which helps companies
in increasing their sustainability at marketplace. Innovation provides new range of products to
customers which attracts them towards the company. . Coca Cola is among one of the best
company which provides drinks to the customers in many flavour. For example: In 2016, Coca
Cola have introduced new flavour named as Coca Cola Ginger, this drink have grabbed
attention of the world towards its flavour and also influenced various customers to try it. This
company often uses innovation strategy rapidly as it provides customers variety options and
persuades them to remain loyal with this company. Some of the essential innovation which
contributed in increasing sustainability are Diet Coke, Coke Zero and Coca Cola vanilla. This
have increased its annual sales and also enhanced profitability of company.
Engaging Stakeholders: Stakeholders are the ones who owns shares in organisation.
They can be any one like employee, customers, director, owner, society, suppliers etc. who
soever is involved with organisation. Stakeholders essential part of the every company as they
contributes in organisation success (Bhamra and Lofthouse, 2016). Top management of Coca
Cola believes that if they will work together with the stakeholders then its easier for them to
sustain longer at market place. For this, they follow four major principles which are defined
below: Consistency: Coca Cola communicates regularly with its stakeholders in order to engage
with them as long as possible. This maintains consistency among them also builds their
trust on company. Transparency: Coca Cola shares all its major decision with stakeholders timely in order
to inform them about changes which they are is preferring. Along with this, they also
involves suppliers, shareholders and employees in decision making process. This
improves effectiveness of decision and reflects its respect toward every stakeholders
which realise them that they are essential part of the company.
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 Inclusiveness: This principle states that Coca Cola gives liberty to every person for
becoming its stakeholder like youngsters, poor, women, man etc. As a result, it
increases number of share holders which ultimately involves more number of customers
so that they can sustain for long term.
 Accountability: Coca Cola is more responsible towards its stakeholder and also
understands their importance. They communicates with its stakeholders and also tells
them outcome of of their feedback and decisions. It reflects that this company is
accountable towards all stakeholder.
Coca Cola follows all the principles in order to maintain stakeholder engagement which
directly contributes in sustaining this company for long duration in ethical manner.
3. Examine how companies implement CSR
Corporate social responsibility is termed as wide concept which focuses on conducting
various programs that provides benefit to environment. Main aim of CSR activities contribute
their efforts to minimize negative effect social causes, so that they can build their positive
brand image at market place (What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?, 2018). Corporate
social responsibility can be done in many forms like donating profit ratio for the purpose of
improving society and developing country. It is required by every organisation to implement
CSR activities in effective manner. Coca Cola follows major four steps to while implementing
their CSR activities. Manager of this company firstly identifies the program on which they are
focusing. Secondly, cost of the program is evaluated including all expenses, Its third step
emphasize on engaging employees in the program for improving its efficiency. At last, manager
of the company communicate whole plan with stakeholder in order to inform them.
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(Source: Corporate social responsibility cycle, 2012)
Benefits of CSR activities are evaluated as below:
Enhance employee loyalty: Employees of Coca Cola are treated equally and fairly at
workplace which is also considered as the part of CSR activities. It also emphasize on providing
appropriate working environment and equal job opportunity to employees. This increases
number of loyal employees in company who works properly and satisfies needs of customer in
proper manner.
Builds positive image: CSR activities conducted by Coca Cola develops its positive
brand image among the customer. As these activities provides tangible proof to the company
about their social welfare which can be further displayed on the website. This will attract the
visitors whenever they go through websites and builds strong positive image of Coca Cola in
front of them.
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Illustration 1: Corporate social responsibility cycle, 2012

Improves financial complexity: CSR activities not only builds image of company but it
also provides monetary benefit to the firm. These activities attracts customers towards Coca
Cola and persuades them to buy its product (Barnett, and et. al., 2015). As a result, this
increases profitability of company. Organisations also uses CSR activities at their low phase for
influencing customers towards their company. This highlights their brand name among customer
and improves sales turnover of the organisation.
Various CSR activities conducted by Coca Cola
My Coke reward: This CSR programme was conducted in UK in order to provide benefit
to its users. According to this scheme designed by Coca Cola, individual who purchases Coke
gets reward on every purchase which can be exchanged further with school equipments. This
helped Coca Cola in increasing its sales as customers were more interested in buying its coke
for increasing their reward point. In addition to this, it also provided chance to customer to buy
their school equipment in discounted and exchangeable rate.
Green Team: This activity was initiated by Sanjay Guha (President of Coca Cola great
Ireland and Britain), who believes in cleaning his country from local level. For this, Green team
was formulated from the employees of Coca Cola who works together for social causes. Green
Team have gathered charity for cleaning river which is in periphery of Coca Cola's offices(West
London). This CSR activity have cleaned river which increased its original beauty and also
contributed towards the social causes that are required to be addressed by citizens.
Coca Cola Scholars: This scheme is a part of CSR activity which was conducted by
Coca Cola for improving the community and social causes. The amount which is gathered by
this scheme is further utilized in fulfilling basic necessities of Women, children and water
preservation (Schaltegger and Burritt, 2014). It has contributed a lot in the welfare section as
charity gathered by the sales of Coca Cola directly gives their share in improving social causes.
Apart from this, This CSR activity have not contributed in the communal welfare but also
increased the sales of the Coca Cola.
4. Reflective update on key skills
Learning is essential part of every individual's life as it helps them in improving their skills
according to the requirement of time and work. It is required by every individual to understand
their key skills and identify those areas where they can enhance their skills. This can be easily
done by learning process which includes three major steps that is self evaluation, planning and
monitoring. If this process is followed by individual appropriately then it will helps in enhancing
skills and also directs them to learn new skills (Klewitz and Hansen, 2014).
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There are numerous key skills which is required by every individual while preparing
report. These skills help them in understanding information, analysing most important one
among all, resolving problems etc. While preparing this report, I have gone through various
phases which required some skills to overcome from them and prepare an effective one. These
key skills are elaborated below which were required by me to accomplish this report in the given
period of time.
 Communication: It is most essential skill which helps individuals in interacting with
others. Communication is needed by everyone whether in the form of written or verbal
(Wolf, 2014). I am moderate in written communication which have consumed lots of time
in writing report in appropriate manner.
 Information Communication Technology: This skill refers to ability of individual for
using basic computer, mobile phone, send emails, internet surfing, conducting video
calls etc. for communication and sharing information. I am good at this skill as I am
habitual of using technology which helped me while gathering information from internet
for completing report.
 Problem solving: I am good in problem solving which helped me during completion of
my project. I have faced problems in understanding the typical language of various sites
which have consumed by time in searching for its relevant meaning. But at last, I have
learned many new activities which are used by organisation to sustain longer at market
place. This have enhanced my knowledge in organisational context.
 Working with others: Every individual is required to have ability of working with the
team. This helps them to complete the work in less period of time. Along with this, it
provides opportunity to individual to learn from their fellow companions. I am working
with the team from many years which have build my interpersonal skill. It also helped in
completing this report as I was comfortable while working with the team. As a I have
good command over this so my team have not faced any issue related to coordination
and learned a lot from each other.
Action development plan
Areas for development Success criteria Resources required Time frame
Knowledge
enhancement
After completion of
my report, I was able
to understand hoe
For improving this
skill resources
required by me are
1 months
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organisation operate
their functions and
formulates their
strategies for
increasing their
sustainability in
market place.
internet. This provided
me complete
information according
to the requirement of
my project.
Communication I have completed my
report in written
medium only. This
have helped me
learning new words
which can be used
while writing report
and expressing my
own words for
elaborating the topic.
I have used many
books and internet for
learning this skill
2 months
CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned report, it has been evaluated that every organisation aims to
sustain longer at marketplace. For this, they use various approaches and strategies like
innovation, recycling, employee engagement, awareness, water stewardship etc. which
contributes to the society as well as provides benefit to organisation. Along with this,
organisation also prefers to use corporate social responsibility in order to return back the society
from the share which they earn from their business. It has been analysed that CSR activities
also develops brand image of the company which directly increases their profitability and helps
in improving its sustainability.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Goetsch, D. L. and Davis, S. B., 2014. Quality management for organizational excellence.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson.
Benn, S., Edwards, M. and Williams, T., 2014. Organizational change for corporate
sustainability. Routledge.
Weber, B., Alfen, H. W. and Staub-Bisang, M., 2016. Infrastructure as an asset class:
investment strategy, sustainability, project finance and PPP. John wiley & sons.
Wolf, J., 2014. The relationship between sustainable supply chain management, stakeholder
pressure and corporate sustainability performance. Journal of business ethics. 119(3).
pp.317-328.
Klewitz, J. and Hansen, E.G., 2014. Sustainability-oriented innovation of SMEs: a systematic
review. Journal of Cleaner Production. 65. pp.57-75.
Schaltegger, S. and Burritt, R., 2014. Measuring and managing sustainability performance of
supply chains: Review and sustainability supply chain management framework. Supply
Chain Management: An International Journal. 19(3). pp.232-241.
Gretzel, U., and et. al., 2015. Smart tourism: foundations and developments. Electronic Markets.
25(3). pp.179-188.
Union, I., 2014. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council,
the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
Brussels.
Jillella, S. S. K., Matan, A. and Newman, P., 2015. Participatory sustainability approach to value
capture-based urban rail financing in India through deliberated stakeholder
engagement. Sustainability. 7(7). pp.8091-8115.
Bhamra, T. and Lofthouse, V., 2016. Design for sustainability: a practical approach. Routledge.
Benn, S., Edwards, M. and Williams, T., 2014. Organizational change for corporate
sustainability. Routledge.
Galpin, T., Whitttington, J. L. and Bell, G., 2015. Is your sustainability strategy sustainable?
Creating a culture of sustainability. Corporate Governance. 15(1). pp.1-17.
Henfridsson, O. and Lind, M., 2014. Information systems strategizing, organizational sub-
communities, and the emergence of a sustainability strategy. The Journal of Strategic
Information Systems. 23(1). pp.11-28.
Barnett, M. L., Darnall, N. and Husted, B. W., 2015. Sustainability strategy in constrained
economic times. Long Range Planning. 48(2). pp.63-68.
Wijethilake, C., 2017. Proactive sustainability strategy and corporate sustainability performance:
The mediating effect of sustainability control systems. Journal of environmental
management. 196. pp.569-582.
Online
What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). 2018. [Online] Available through
<https://www.bigcommerce.com/ecommerce-answers/what-is-corporate-social-
responsibility-csr/>.
Sustainability approach. 2018. [Online] Available through
<https://coca-colahellenic.com/en/sustainability/sustainability-approach-and-
performance/sustainability-approach/>.
Environment overview. 2018. [Online] Available through
<https://coca-colahellenic.com/en/sustainability/environment/environment-overview/>.
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